Retainer block for use with dish rack

Abstract

A dish rack has a collector tray that has a compartment. A retaining block is seated in the compartment for holding knives or other utensils having sharp edges.

1. An assembly, comprising:
 (a) a wireframe dish rack having an interior, and a collector tray that is coupled to the dish rack outside the interior of the dish rack, the collector tray having a compartment with an unimpeded open top; and 
 (b) a retaining block inserted through the unimpeded open top and seated in the compartment, the retaining block including:
 a shell defining an interior space, and having a top wall, with a plurality of elongated slots provided in the top wall; and 
 a plurality of downwardly-extending elongated walls attached to the top wall and positioned in the compartment between two or more slots. 
 
 
   
   
     2. The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the collector tray has an edge and a dividing wall that divides the compartment of the collector tray into a plurality of compartments. 
   
   
     3. The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the collector tray has at least one side wall which has an opening therein, and:
 wherein the shell has a plurality of side walls that define the interior space, with a notch provided on one of the plurality of side walls; and 
 wherein the notch is retained in the opening. 
 
   
   
     4. An assembly, comprising:
 (a) a wireframe dish rack having an interior, and a collector tray that is coupled to the dish rack outside the interior of the dish rack, the collector tray having a first and a second compartment separated by a dividing wall, with each compartment having an unimpeded open top; and 
 (b) a retaining block inserted through the unimpeded open top of the first compartment and seated in the first compartment, the retaining block including:
 a shell defining an interior space, and having a top wall, with a plurality of elongated slots provided in the top wall; and 
 a plurality of downwardly-extending elongated walls attached to the top wall and positioned in the compartment between two or more slots; and 
 
 wherein the second compartment is free of any retaining block.